---
title: Weekly Blog for Holden Advisors | Selling with Confidence
description: Selling with Confidence | Pricing strategy, sales negotiation, value consulting, along with sales tips and success stories.
---
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- [Negotiating With Backbone](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/sales/negotiating-with-backbone/)
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- About
- [Overview](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/overview/)
- [Core Values](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/core-values/)
- [Leadership](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/leadership/)
- [Partners](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/partners/)
- [Careers](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/careers/)
- [Solutions](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/overview/#)
- [Sales](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/overview/#)
- [Overview](https://go.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/sales/improve-sales-performance)
- [Negotiating With Backbone](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/sales/negotiating-with-backbone/)
- [Selling With Backbone](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/sales/selling-with-backbone/)
- [Coaching](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/sales/coaching/)
- [Pricing](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/overview/#)
- [Overview](https://go.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/improve-pricing-performance)
- [Audit](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/pricing/audit/)
- [Analytics](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/pricing/analytics/)
- [Value-Based Pricing](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/pricing/value-based-pricing/)
- [Insights](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/overview/#)
- [Blog](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/blog/)
- [Video Series](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/overview/#)
- [Pricing with Confidence](https://go.holdenadvisors.com/pricing-with-confidence)
- [Publications](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/overview/#)
- [Books](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/insights/publications/books/)
- [White Papers](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/papers)
- [Newsletter](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/newsletter)
- [Case Studies](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/studies)
- [Events, Webinars & Podcasts](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/insights/events-webinars-podcasts/)
- [Reed’s Bookshelf](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/bookshelf)
- [Contact](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/contact-us/)
# Holden Advisors Blog
## [What To Do If Your Company Is Asked To Participate In A Reverse Auction](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/reverse-auction)
Posted by [Mike Cannestra](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/author/mike-cannestra) on Mar 3, 2022 12:22:09 PM
- [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)
[](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/reverse-auction)
*A reverse auction may land you a new client, but if you are the incumbent, it may be better to say no. Here’s why.*
[Read More](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/reverse-auction)
0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/reverse-auction#comments-listing)
Topics: [Negotiating with Backbone](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/negotiating-with-backbone), [Selling with Confidence](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/selling-with-confidence), [Uncovering your Value](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/uncovering-your-value), [procurement](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/procurement)
## [Determining Product Value Through a Customer’s Eyes](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/determining-product-value-through-a-customers-eyes)
Posted by [Mechell Hoxie](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/author/mechell-hoxie) on Feb 2, 2022 9:31:02 AM
- [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)
[](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/determining-product-value-through-a-customers-eyes)
*When determining product value, it’s important to go beyond cost and demand. Your customers’ perceived value matters too, especially if you want to build lasting business relationships.*
[Read More](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/determining-product-value-through-a-customers-eyes)
0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/determining-product-value-through-a-customers-eyes#comments-listing)
Topics: [Selling with Confidence](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/selling-with-confidence), [Uncovering your Value](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/uncovering-your-value), [Selling with Backbone](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/selling-with-backbone), [value selling](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/value-selling)
## [Don’t Waste Your Time: Five Red Flags to Watch for with Unsolicited RFPs](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/five-red-flags-for-unsolicited-rfp)
Posted by [Brian Doyle](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/author/brian-doyle) on Jan 19, 2022 9:21:04 AM
- [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)
[](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/five-red-flags-for-unsolicited-rfp)
In the world of sales, it’s easy to get caught up in the possibilities of an unsolicited RFP. But, if you find yourself dealing with procurement, you might want to save your energy.
[Read More](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/five-red-flags-for-unsolicited-rfp)
0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/five-red-flags-for-unsolicited-rfp#comments-listing)
Topics: [Negotiating with Backbone](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/negotiating-with-backbone), [Selling with Confidence](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/selling-with-confidence), [Selling with Backbone](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/selling-with-backbone)
## [Defeating the "No-Decision" Trap: The Power of Divergent Thinking](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/defeating-the-no-decision-trap)
Posted by [Ellen Quackenbush](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/author/ellen-quackenbush) on Sep 21, 2021 11:36:35 AM
- [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)
[](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/defeating-the-no-decision-trap)
Imagine if you could banish “no-decision” from your sales funnel. More deals that travel all the way to the win/loss finish line, less wasted sales time, more essential customer needs resolved, and a higher share of wallet. What’s standing in your way? Is it the wrong solution, an inadequate business case, inability to get budget, or something else? In our experience, the real problem boils down to one thing—the inability to create and build a business vision that propels your customer’s organization to embrace change.
Top-performing strategic account managers get this. They sell *potential*. They build a shared vision around the ability to address a compelling business need or market opportunity and build the scaffolding of commitment to make this vision a reality.
Top performers exhibit three essential characteristics, and they know how to deploy each trait based on the sales situation:
1. Divergent Thinking vs. Convergent Thinking
2. Learning vs. Teaching
3. Curiosity Quotient (CQ) vs. Intelligence Quotient (IQ)
[Read More](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/defeating-the-no-decision-trap)
0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/defeating-the-no-decision-trap#comments-listing)
Topics: [Selling with Confidence](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/selling-with-confidence)
## [Passing the Price Gauntlet with Strategic Accounts](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/passing-the-price-gauntlet)
Posted by [Reed Holden](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/author/reed-holden) on Sep 8, 2021 5:44:03 PM
- [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)
[](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/passing-the-price-gauntlet)
As a strategic account manager, you take the long view in working with your customers to ensure that each of them gets [the right solution](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/news-from-the-field-qualify). You invest time in evaluating your customer's business and sourcing the best team internally to configure a valuable solution. It takes teamwork, planning, and execution.
[Read More](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/passing-the-price-gauntlet)
0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/passing-the-price-gauntlet#comments-listing)
Topics: [Negotiating with Backbone](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/negotiating-with-backbone), [Selling with Confidence](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/selling-with-confidence)
## [Is Your Product Really a Commodity?](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/is-your-product-really-a-commodity)
Posted by [Adele Mclean](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/author/adele-mclean) on Jun 15, 2018 11:09:50 AM
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[](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/is-your-product-really-a-commodity)
Is Your Product a Commodity? Is it really? Or, does your customer cry commodity to get you to decrease your price? Adele McLean talks about how you can get out from under the negotiation tactic "cry commodity" to avoid the commodity trap.
[Read More](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/is-your-product-really-a-commodity)
0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/is-your-product-really-a-commodity#comments-listing)
Topics: [Negotiating with Backbone](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/negotiating-with-backbone), [Selling with Confidence](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/selling-with-confidence)
## [Profile of a Game Changer: Selling in a Competitive Environment](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/game-changer-in-a-competitive-selling-environment)
Posted by [Chris Mitchell](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/author/chris-mitchell) on Apr 8, 2018 10:21:57 AM
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[](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/game-changer-in-a-competitive-selling-environment)
Smart salespeople distinguish themselves from the pack of competitors. They are game changers, and they don’t wait to be pursued by potential customers. Game changers are assertive and effective as they challenge—with diplomacy—a customer’s viewpoint. They think strategically and target potential opportunities that a customer may not yet realize exists, or they recast the way a customer views its situation. If a customer appears to have little interest, a game changer reframes the conversation to build a compelling business case. It is a honed persona cultivated from an investment in thoughtful *preparation*,*planning *and confident *execution*.
[Read More](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/game-changer-in-a-competitive-selling-environment)
1 Comment [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/game-changer-in-a-competitive-selling-environment#comments-listing)
Topics: [Selling with Confidence](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/selling-with-confidence)
## [The Secret to Post-Merger Success](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/post-merger-success)
Posted by [Tim Mullane](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/author/tim-mullane) on Mar 21, 2018 5:33:05 PM
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[](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/post-merger-success)
Mergers can be a terrific way to grow your business, customer base, and product offerings. Given the changes in the regulatory environment, access to capital, and overall market appreciation, we see many companies choose a merger as a growth strategy now. The message to shareholders promises 1+1=3. In other words, the new whole will be greater than the sum of its parts. A single transaction promises that a stronger market position will lead to a significant increase in sales—while reducing costs.
However, the promise of the merger can often fall short of the reality.
[Read More](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/post-merger-success)
0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/post-merger-success#comments-listing)
Topics: [Newsletter](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/newsletter), [Selling with Confidence](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/selling-with-confidence)
## [Good-Better-Best Pricing: Would You Pay More for "Better"?](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/good-better-best-pricing-would-you-pay-more-for-better)
Posted by [David Broadbent](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/author/david-broadbent) on Mar 1, 2018 1:19:38 PM
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[](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/good-better-best-pricing-would-you-pay-more-for-better)
Good-better-best pricing is everywhere. Companies often offer choices on just about everything from all-organic ingredients, to cable bundles for sports fans and those for movie buffs, or pay-in-advance hotel reservations.
[Read More](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/good-better-best-pricing-would-you-pay-more-for-better)
0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/good-better-best-pricing-would-you-pay-more-for-better#comments-listing)
Topics: [Pricing with Confidence](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/pricing-with-confidence), [Selling with Confidence](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/selling-with-confidence)
## [Field Report: Using Give-Gets Nets Sales Team $150k Profit Improvement](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/field-report-using-give-gets-nets-sales-team-150k-profit-improvement)
Posted by [Adele Mclean](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/author/adele-mclean) on Feb 14, 2018 7:38:23 PM
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[](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/field-report-using-give-gets-nets-sales-team-150k-profit-improvement)
I received a call late Friday afternoon from one of our clients, a $800m DaaS company. The VP of Sales Transformation had attended a recent Negotiating with BackboneSM workshop and played the role of a Coach. She was collecting revenue-and-profit impact stories from the 30 employees who had also attended the workshop, and she was thrilled with the results they were reporting.
[Read More](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/field-report-using-give-gets-nets-sales-team-150k-profit-improvement)
0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/field-report-using-give-gets-nets-sales-team-150k-profit-improvement#comments-listing)
Topics: [Newsletter](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/newsletter), [Selling with Confidence](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/selling-with-confidence)
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